Source: South African national jailed for car theft – Sunday News Jul 2, 2017
Fairness Moyana, Hwange Correspondent
A SOUTH African national who was caught at Victoria Falls border post last year while trying to smuggle a car stolen from his country into Zambia has been slapped with a seven-year prison term.
Willem Schalk Janzen Roet (63) of 130, 2nd Street Fishkuil Springs, Johannesburg, South Africa tried to evade authorities at the Victoria Falls border by producing false documents that claimed he was the owner of a Landrover Range Rover valued at $125 000.
However, alert immigration officials discovered some discrepancies on the paperwork and had since received an Interpol alert on stolen vehicles. Roet and his accomplices are believed to be part of a vehicle trafficking syndicate which uses Zimbabwe as a transit to transport luxurious cars from South Africa into Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for sale.
Upon his arrest, Roet claimed he was an informant of the South African police who were investigating international trafficking of vehicles and that he had tipped them, a claim he maintained as part of his defence.
“I was an informer for the South African police on this case which they were investigating. I am not the one who stole but was hired by Frank to drive the cars to Zambia. I am innocent, Your Worship,” pleaded Roet.
Hwange regional magistrate, Mr Collet Ncube however, convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment before conditionally suspending two years. In pronouncing judgment, he said the court took into account that Roet was old and that he had been in custody since his arrest in November.
He however, said given that international trafficking of stolen property, particularly luxury vehicles was on the increase, Zimbabwe was not going to tolerate nor facilitate transit crimes.
It is said that the vehicle was brought in the country via the Limpopo river where donkeys were used to pull it across the river into Zimbabwe. Roet was then engaged to drive the Landrover Range Rover from Bulawayo to its final destination in Zambia.
The court heard that on 29 October 2016 at around 1pm Mr Steven Davith Lowth who is the principal dealer at Landrover Bedforview in Johannesburg, South Africa closed down his business with six vehicles parked in his premises.
On 31 October at around midnight, Roet went to the premises were he gained entry into the office, and took a bag containing vehicle keys. He went on to take the gold Landrover Range Rover registration number 029 VNK GP and drove away. Mr Lowth later discovered the theft on the same day and made a police report at Edenvale.
The South African police alerted the International Police (Interpol) in Pretoria who in turn alerted international police to be on the lookout for the stolen property. Roet was however, intercepted at Victoria Falls border post.
Mr Onias Nyathi appeared for the State.
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